I ain’t afraid of no nostalgia! Hell, especially not in the age of sequels, se-quels, and reboots. I mean, if we’re being fair, how many tentpole movies are of the original variety nowadays? I’ll grant you that “Saltburn” should have its own cinematic universe. One with individual films dedicated to graves, tubs, and vampires. Now that’s a new franchise I could get behind!
Still, one franchise that’s back and should leave us feeling good is “Ghostbusters.” The fifth film in the franchise (fourth in the main continuity), “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” arrives this weekend. And for a person of a certain age like me, I should feel maybe more excited. I mean, I’m pretty stoked but even still, part of me can’t help but feel robbed of what could have been an even richer childhood fleshed out with more ghostly tales of destruction, only to be thwarted by the original kings of Saturday Night Live. Whether you jumped on the back of the Ecto-1 during the heyday of the ’80s or joined the squad with “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” there’s no doubt this franchise can leave you spooked and smiling. But does in an age of overpopulated IP-driven projects a la the MCU, “Star Wars,” and “Jurassic Park,” how does “Ghostbusters” fare? Did you have to be an ’80s kid to love it? Let’s discuss?
‘Ghostbusters’ Was a Way of Life
Way back when I was a miniature version of myself in the late ’80s, “Ghostbusters” was everything to me. The toys alone, I mean—I had them all. A seemingly limitless number of variants of the ‘Busters themselves, their associates, a ton of cool and creepy ghosts, vehicles, and the glorious Firehouse. I had it all. I’d even run around my house with my own personal flight suit, a Proto Pack, a Trap and bust any and all hosts that came across my way. Later in life, I learned just how disrespectful that was to both of my grandmothers, but you get the point. Even one of my earliest cinema going experiences was for “Ghostbusters II” in 1989. Now at that time, I was obsessed with the Saturday morning cartoon “The Real Ghostbusters.” I was not prepared for Viggo the Carpathian. Nor was the rest of the theater ready for a three-year-old going absolutely bonkers. I mean, it was frightening… it still is.
‘Ghostbusters’ was everything to me…”
My love of Ghostbusters made me a lifelong fan of all the principal actors with Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver atop that list. To me, they are forever Dr. Peter Venkman and Dana Barrett. Well, Sigourney is Ripley, actually, but you get what I’m saying. Anytime and any film I’d see them in after was—and still is—an immediate callback to “Ghostbusters.” And I imagine it’s that way for a lot of people my age. Hence why when “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” was announced, with original cast members, it’s not hard to imagine me bursting at the seems with pink ooze and excitement! I’d—no we’d—been waiting for a proper “Ghostbusters 3” for what felt like our entire lives. And we finally got it! And… it’s okay? Possibly. I mean it’ll do. I guess I’d rather have it than not, but that’s not a glowing recommendation by any stretch. Hence why I excited but reserved anticipation for the new film. And it feels like a lot of others do too.
Will ‘Frozen Empire’ Undo IP Burnout?
The Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in a scene from “Ghostbusters.” (Photo: Columbia Pictures, 1984).
A big area of concern here is IP burnout. I think the onslaught of the MCU and its weaking quality has soured a lot of folks. The last round of “Star Wars” films petered out with more frustration than adulation. Audiences are tired of the same old. Look at what happened to Indiana Jones. I assumed the worst thing that could happen to him at this point was a broken hip, not an unmitigated Box Office disaster. You’d hope the mixing of the old and the new cast—and the additional marketing focused on the OG Busters—would ignite the fanbase. But again, will it?
I think the long ass wait for a third film—along with some pretty vocal frustrations by some of the cast—really hurt this generation of “Ghostbusters.” The logo is iconic, the quotes, the songs, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man… Slimer for Christ’s sake. Literally everyone knows the Ghostbusters—but do they love them? I am really curious to see how “Frozen Empire” fares, not only at the Box Office but in the eyes of the devoted fanbase. I’d love to see the “Stranger Things” kid pull in some younger fans and help push the franchise forward. But I’m not sure. I’d love to see a mix of the die-hards and the new kids, but time will tell. More specifically, this weekend.
Fingers Crossed for New Interest
I want to see the Ghostbusters save New York once again. Their enemy this time though, may in fact be time, and being of a different one. One where its stars reigned supreme and its fanbase sat possessed like Louis Tully inside of a demonic dog. I hope I’m wrong. I hope I get slimed. And I hope we don’t cross the streams on this once glorious franchise and put all hope of future sequels into the containment unit.
